Traffice signaling system



May 14, 1935. E. c. WEST TRAFFIC SIGNALING SYSTEM Filed Sept. 22, l95l 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 14, 1935. E. WEST 2,001,440

TRAFFIC SIGNALING SYSTEM I Filed Sept. 22, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FOL LOV T H E AR ROVS 'ra RED Eew (311M798 Mm,

amnion:

Patented May 14, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFF-ICE This invention relates to trafilc signaling systems of the type that are employed at street intersections.

At the present time it is customary to employ traffic lights that are operated according to a predetermined program to indicate that traffic may pass along one course for a given interval of time and then that traflic may pass along" an intersecting course for another given interval of time. Under certain conditions, right and/or left hand turns from a street may be made during certain intervals of the day and at other intervals of the day such turns are not permissible. With such conditions, it has been the practice to place signs adjacent to the trafiic signals with instructions giving the conditions and time at which such turns may be made. These signs are not illuminated, and during periods of low visibility such as at night time, or during a storm, they are entirely useless in guiding trailic during such occasions. To a driver who is not familiar with the. instructions on these signs, such practice has been especially confusing and has'resulted in a slowing down of traflic. In accordance with the present invention, it is proposed to supplement the usual traffic signals with indicators actuated with said signals to indicate in what directions trafiic may proceed.

For a thorough understanding of the invention, reference is made to the drawings in which Fig. 1 is a front view of the trafiic signal and direction indicator of the present invention; Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic showing of the system of circuits suitable for operating the device of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a modified form of the invention in which the number of lamps for illuminating the signals and indicators have been reduced by providing mechanical shutters for obscuring certain of the indicators when they are not to be used, so that a singlelight serves to illuminate a signal and one or more of the indicators; Fig. 4 shows a modified form of the invention suitable for use with traific signals already installed and comprises a device including indicators alone for showing the permissible course for traffic, to follow; and Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic showing of a circuit arrangement similar to that shown in Fig. 2, but specifically adapted for use in the device of Fig. 4.

Referring to Fig. 1, I0 designates a case or box having near its top a circular opening in which there is mounted a red glass window or target H, while in the lower part of the case there is provided a second circular opening in which there is mounted a green window or target l2, in accordance with the usual practice. At the upper signal device proper.

right hand corner of the case, there is provided an opening in the shape of an arrowhead, which opening is closed by a glass window of any suitable color, preferably amber, andbetween the targets H- and I2, there is provided an opening I6 in the shape of an arrowhead closed by a glass window of any suitable color, also preferably amber. Below and to the right and left respectively, of the green target l2, there is provided 'an opening l5 and an opening l6 inthe shapeof an arrowhead, both of which openings are closed by glass of any suitable color, preferably amber. Since the casing Ill is usually mounted at some considerable height above the street, there is provided at. a lower level, a switch box I! containing switches which serve to selectively control the targets and which will be further referred to in the description of the circuit diagram of Fig. 2. The switch box I1 is connected by a suitable conduit l8 through which electrical conductors pass from the switch box to the casing of the trafflc Within the casing there are provided a series of lamps represented within the large broken line rectangle of Fig. 2; of these lamps, lamp I9 is placed behind the target ll while behind the target l2, there is placed a lamp 213. Lamps 2|, 22, 22, .and 23 arerespectively placed back of the indicators I3, I4, l5, and i6. Within the casing Ill there are also placed suitable partitions 24, so that light from any of the lamps is confined to its related target or indicator.

In order to operate the lamps behind the several targets and indicators in accordance with a predetermined program, a timing device, preferably located within the switch box, is provided which includes a motor 25 actuated from the electrical source over suitable conductors (not shown). The shaft 26 of this motor is provided with three cams 21, 28 and 29, so positioned on the shaft that they close the cam-actuated switch contacts 30, 3| and 32 for predetermined intervals in accordance with a prearranged schedule. As shown in Fig. 2, the timing device through its cam 21 has closed the switch 30, thereby closing a circuit from the current source, which may be either direct or alternating current, thence through switch 30, conductor 33, lamp l9, conductor 34, to the other side of the current source. This circuit lights the lamp I9 which illuminates the red target II as a signal for trafiic to stop. In certain municipalities, it is permissible for traflic to make a right turn on a red signal, while in others such a turn is a violation of the traffic regulations. Where such a right turn may be made on a red signal, it is desirable in accordance with the present invention to illuminate the amber arrow I3, and this may be effected by closing the manual switch 35 individual to this indicator. The closing of this switch causes the lighting of the lamp 2| behind the arrow I3 in a circuit traceable from the current source, camoperated switch 30, now closed,. conductor- 33, lamp 2 I, manual switch 35, conductors 36 and 34, to the other side of the current source. In this way the lamp 2| will be lighted together with lamp I9 as long as the cam-operated switch 30 is closed.

It will be understoodof course, during all of this period that the timing device has continued to rotate and that at the end of the predetermined interval, the cam 21 opens the switch 30 and the cam 28 closes the switch 3|. With the switch 3| closed, the lamp 22 is lighted in a circuit from one side of the current source, switch 3|, conductor 38, contacts of the manual switch 31, conductor 39, lamp 22, to the other side of the current source. Lamp 22, which is positioned behind the arrow I4, in addition to serving as a change-over indication, also indicates the permissible direction of traflic to move. It will be understood of course, that if it is desirable at any time not to use the indicator I4, it may be disabled by opening the manual switch 31. At the conclusion of the change-over interval when the timing device has rotated, further in its cycle the cam 28 opens switch 3|, and the cam 23 is also rotated to close the cam-actuated switch 32. The closing of this switch completes a circuit from one side of the current source through contacts of the switch, conductor 40, lamp 20, behind target I2, and thence to the other side of the current source. At the time of the change-over interval if the manual switches M and 42 are closed, the lamps 22" and 23 are simultaneously lighted with the lamp 22 to indicate that trailic may proceed to the right and to the left.

In the modified form of the invention shown in Fig. 3, the lamps 2| 22' and 23 with their related circuits have been omitted and the indicator I3 is illuminated along with target II from thesingle lamp I9, whereas, the indicators I4, I5 and I6 are illuminated along with the target I2 from the lamp 20, in this manner the number of necessary lamps is reduced. It will be understood, of course, that the partition 24 confines the light from lamps I9 and 20 to their respective compartments.

In this form of the invention if it is desired not to use any of the indicators I3, I4, I5 and I6, any one of them may be obscured by means of mechanically actuated shutters 44, 45, 46 and 41. It will be noted that any of these shutters may be opened or closed from the street level through a suitable system of levers, merely indicated in Figure 3.

In Fig. 4, there is shown still another form of the invention which may be used alone or in combination with existing trafllc signals. This form of the invention also includes a metal casing provided with arrow-shaped openings I4, I5, and I6, closed by suitable glass windows which may be of any desired'color, preferably amber. The front of the casing may be provided with a suitable sign or legend 48 instructing traffic as to permissible courses to follow. Behind these windows there areplaced lamps such as 2|; 22 and 23 previously referred to, which lamps, may be connected in the circuits as shown in Fig. 5, or may have circuits incorporated in the circuit net'- work of existing trafllc signals as more completely shown in Fig. 2. It will be noted from this diagram that the lamps 2|, 22 and 23 have a lighting circuit completed whenever switch 3| is closed.

.In this way, when the arrangement of Fig. 4 is employed in co-operation with the usual program signals, the indicators I4, I5 and I6 may be lighted to indicate a permissible traflic movement. As pointed out previously in this description, these lamps may be disabled either individually or altoggther by opening the manual switches 31, 4I and 4 From theforegoing it will be understood that a traffic signaling device is provided whereby vethicle drivers receive definite iluminated instructions from intermittently operated indicators associated with the program signals of a tramc system thereby obviating the confusion resulting where drivers must read signs which are not closely associated and not operated in accordance with the trafllc S als,

What I claim is:-

1. In a program traflic signaling system, a signal of one character indicating the permissible passage of traific, a signal of another character indicating that traflic shall not pass, indicators in the form of arrows positioned adjacent said signals, circuits for controlling the operation of said signals and indicators, timing means for controlling the completion of said circuits according to a prearranged schedule, and manually operated devices for selectively disabling the circuits of any of said indicators.

2. In a program traflic signaling system, a green target indicating the permissible passage of trafllc, a red target indicating ,that tramc shall not pass, timing means for controlling the operation of saidtargets according to a prearranged schedule, indicators positioned adjacent said targets and controlled by said timing means according to said prearranged schedule for showing the permissible direction or directions of traflic movement, and means for selectively disabling any of said indicators at will.

3. In a program traffic signaling system, a casing having a large opening closed by a, red signal, a second large opening closed by a green signal, and a series of arrow-shaped openings positioned about said second opening, said arrowshaped openings pointing in opposite directions, means including circuit networks and a timing device controlling the same for illuminating said openings according to a prearranged schedule, and means for closing any of said arrow-shaped openings at will.

4. In a program trailic signaling system, 2. casing having a large opening closed by a red signal, a second large opening closed by a green signal, and a series of arrow-shaped openings positioned about said second opening, said arrow-shaped openings pointing in three different directions, means including circuits and a timing device controlling the same for illuminating said arrow-shaped openings according to a prearranged schedule, and means for selectively cutting off the illumination of a y of said arrowshaped openings at will.

5. In a program trafllc signaling system, a casing having a large opening closed by a red window, an arrow-shaped opening pointing to the right of said window, a second large opening closed'by a green window, a series of arrow- Y shaped openings in said casing, positioned about said green window, said arrow-shaped openings pointing in three directions, means including circuits and a timing device controlling the same for illuminating said windows and arrow-shaped openings according to a prearranged schedule, and means for. selectively cutting ofi the illumination of any of said-arrow-shaped openings at will.

6. In a program trafllc signaling system, a casing having a large opening closed by a red target, a second large opening therein closed by a green target, and a series of arrow-shaped openings therein, positioned about said second opening, said arro'w shaped openings pointing in opposite directions, a lamp positioned behind each of said openings, circuits for each of said lamps connectible to energizing means, a timing device for periodically closingsaid circuits according to a predetermined schedule, a switch box located at a remote point with respect to said casing, and manual switches in said switch box for disabling any one of certain of said circuits 7. In a program traflic signaling system, a

signal of one character indicating the permissible passage of trafiic, a signal of another character indicating that. traflic shall not pass, turn indicators positioned adjacent one of said signals, circuits for controlling the operation of said signals and said indicators,. timing means for controlling the completion of said circuits according to a prearranged schedule, and manually operated means for selectively disabling the circuits of any of said indicators.

ETHREA CHARLES WEST. 

